mortgage professional

To Stay or Not to Stay!

To Stay or Not to Stay is the question many home owners ask themselves when trying to decide whether to stay or not to stay with their current lender or to go to a new lender when its mortgage renewal time.

With mortgage interest rates at all time lows it makes more sense than not to consider switching your mortgage to a new lender who has a better rate than the rate your current lender can offer you at renewal time.

However most consumers do not consider this fact and do not know that it is not as cumbersome and even pretty well free to switch your mortgage from one lender to another. Many Banks and mono-line lenders have promotions that cover the cost of the client switching their mortgage to the new lender.

It is for this reason that you should consult with your trusted mortgage broker or agent, when considering to stay or not to stay with your current lender, so that he or she can assess your current situation and figure out if it is worth it for you to either stay or move your mortgage. Sometimes after doing the calculations the mortgage professional will advise you that it is not worth your time and money to switch and better to just stick with your current lender, and other times the mortgage professional will advise you that it is in fact beneficial for you to switch your mortgage to a new lender due to their lower rates and other promotions.

The most obvious reason to switch

The most obvious reason to switch your mortgage would be for many the lower mortgage interest rate that the other lender is offering. But there are other reasons why people switch their mortgage, such as not being happy with the service levels of the current lender, and wanting to take advantage of the mortgage products the other lender has to offer that the existing lender does not have.

The most obvious reason to stay

Perhaps the most obvious reason to stay with your current mortgage lender at renewal time is because of the relationship that you have developed with them throughout the years of your mortgage with the lender. Some home owners who have mortgages with the big banks want to stay with them at renewal time to take advantage of the other bank products that they may potentially be able to get approved for and receive discounts on for staying with the bank.

At Trusterra Mortgage we are here to answer your questions and help you make the right decisions when it comes to your mortgage. Don’t hesitate to Contact Us!

Canadian Mortgage Brokering Industry

The Canadian mortgage brokering industry still has a long way to go in becoming recognized as a primary source of financial services for real estate financing equal to the big banks. What many people do not realize is that Canadian mortgage brokers and agents for the most part get mortgages for their clients from the big Canadian banks and even those with stable income / employment and strong credit scores can still work with mortgage professionals. It’s actually to their benefit to go through a mortgage broker / agent as our services are more specialized and customer service oriented with our clients best interest first in mind.

Mortgage Brokers and Agents must study specific industry courses as a minimum benchmark before they can be allowed to get licensed by their respective Provincial regulator.

The official national association that represents the mortgage brokering industry is called the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals CAAMP.

Mortgage Renewal

Is your mortgage coming up for renewal? Are you thinking about a mortgage renewal option? Have you considered the option of shopping around for a better mortgage product or mortgage interest rate instead of just staying with your existing mortgagee? Unfortunately many Canadians who are mortgage holders renew their mortgage with their existing mortgage bank / lender. The matter of fact here is that if you work with a Mortgage Professional, such as a Mortgage Broker or Mortgage Agent they will shop around and check to see if there are any other products out there with a better rate for you, therefore greater savings in the long run as well.

The cost for you to change banks or lenders at renewal time is minimal. Many mortgage lenders have promotions to attract customers from their competitors. Lenders provide perks to bring in more renewal business such as covering your legal and appraisal fees and also paying for your discharge fee to switch your mortgage.

Usually the mortgage professional will not charge you a fee either. This is another saving and a win-win situation for you.

Canadian lenders can guaranty a mortgage rate up to 120 days before the closing or renewal date of your mortgage. That means that you should start shopping around at least several months before your renewal date to take advantage of any good mortgage rates or products that are out there in the Canadian market place. At Trusterra Mortgage we work with our clients and do our best in providing exceptional and trustworthy service and honest advice for their best interest.

What are you waiting for? Contact us and let’s work together in helping you get the best mortgage out there suited for your needs.

Mortgage Professional

In the complexities of an ever advancing Canadian real estate market it has become increasingly important and beneficial for the consumer, such as the first time home buyer, existing home owner looking for a mortgage renewal, or the real estate investor seeking to acquire an investment property to work with a seasoned Canadian mortgage professional – mortgage broker / mortgage agent — when it comes to getting their mortgage financing in order.

A mortgage professional, or otherwise known as a mortgage broker or agent – we will call them from this point onwards the ‘mortgage professional’ — studies in the field of real estate financing and specializes just in mortgages. A mortgage professional here in Canada works for the benefit of the consumer / client, making sure that the mortgage client receives the correct and unbiased professional advice that best suits the needs and realities of each clients situation, which differs from everyone one else.

Unlike the individual working in a bank, mortgage professionals will not try to up-sell to you proprietary specific bank products in order that they meet their sales quota. Mortgage professionals will not push you towards one lender over another, but rather, they will decide which one of the lenders has the best mortgage product based on your personal and unique circumstances. For most consumers when working with mortgage professionals there is no fee’s or charges that they have to pay. The lending institution that approves your mortgage application will pay a commission to the mortgage professional after the closing of the deal.

Unfortunately it has become normal practice for the consumer to shop around just for the lowest interest rate even if that means sacrificing the quality and trustworthiness of the individual or company that is quoting the low interest rate. There should be more to your investigation and shopping of mortgages than just how low their interest rates are. You should be looking at the overall package of the mortgage professional.

Most provinces in Canada regulate the mortgage brokerage industry. The purpose of the regulation is for the protection of the consumer by making sure that individuals who want to work in the industry meet certain minimal judiciary and educational requirements.

If you are considering to become a mortgage broker or agent in any of the Canadian provinces, or you are thinking about seeking the professional help of a mortgage broker or agent, you can visit the following Government web sites to learn more about the mortgage industry and its professionals in most Canadian provinces.

The Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM) is an agency of the provincial government, which administers nine statutes providing regulatory rules for the protection of the public in the province of British Columbia.